IN THE NEWS

Nick Hopkins a Finalist for Best
and Brightest

Nick Hopkins, Sponsel CPA Group Partner and Director of Tax Services, was honored Wednesday night as a Finalist for Indy's Best and Brightest. The annual award, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, recognizes 100 outstanding young professionals age 40 and under who are making their mark in and around Indianapolis.

Nick was named as one of the 10 Finalists in the Accounting category. Congratulations, Nick!

Corporate Challenge

Staff members of Sponsel CPA Group suited up for action at the annual Corporate Challenge hosted by the Indiana Sports Corporation.

Check out these great photos of our team valiantly (though not always triumphantly) vying at tug o' war and other competitions against local companies.

NEXT IN, the exciting new networking group for young Indianapolis professionals sponsored by Sponsel CPA Group, will host their next event Oct. 18 at Mesh on Mass. Indy's next generation of business owners and community leaders will meet and mingle, enjoy free food and drinks, and listen to a guest speaker.

Faraz Abbasi, a Partner at Centerfield Capital Partners, will talk on "Creating Capital for the Entrepreneur." Look for more events in the near future!

IRS Focus — Independent Contractor
or Employee??
By Lisa Purichia
Partner and Director of Entrepreneurial Services

In our practice, we have seen an increasing focus by the IRS on the classification of workers as "independent contractor" or "employee."

We believe it to be very prudent of the CEO, CFO and HR managers to understand the rules and policies for compliance in your own workforce. "Big Brother" – aka the IRS – is on the hunt!!

The proper classification is dependent on three main factors: Behavior Control, Financial Control and the Relationship of the parties. It is very important to consider all these factors, as no single fact will provide the answer.

Planning for 2012 Operations . . .
The Time is Now!
By Thomas J. Sponsel
Managing Partner

For most business owners, the fourth quarter of any fiscal year is focused on: "How can I close out our year with a strong finish?"

Although that pre-occupation with near-term results is very important, we believe that a significant part of your leadership energies as the chief executive should be focused on next year's operation and planning: 2012!

Client Profile: Johnson-Melloh Solutions

A relatively new client of Sponsel CPA Group, Johnson-Melloh Solutions (johnsonmellohsolutions.com) works in the exciting field of energy efficiency and energy production. Johnson-Melloh Solutions is in the business of making companies more energy efficient by designing, constructing and maintaining various projects that save energy or produce energy via renewable energy projects.

Helping businesses go green is a fast-growing field, and there’s a complex array of tax incentives available to spur that development. Sponsel CPA Group helps Johnson-Melloh Solutions navigate that tricky terrain to make sure they’re obtaining the maximum benefits to which they’re entitled.

“We do turn-key energy saving and energy production projects. That would include the design, the installation, finding the equity players, financing, and then maintenance and operations of (the system) for the long term,” said Nick Melloh, President and Partner of Johnson-Melloh Solutions “We take the project from soup to nuts.”

Among recent projects by Johnson Melloh Solutions was installation of a high-efficiency boiler, new HVAC system and lighting at the Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library Services Center Building. In September the Indianapolis Airport Authority included them in plans for a joint venture to develop a solar panel farm at the airport.

Melloh met Sponsel CPA Group Partner Nick Hopkins at a real estate conference post-event social gathering. After a few minutes of conversation it became clear he was dealing with someone who knew what he was talking about when it came to energy related tax credits and deductions, Melloh said.

Following a few meetings, Johnson-Melloh Solutions decided to switch their business from a competing accounting firm.

“What it came down to was Sponsel CPA Group’s customer service and their knowledge of taxes as it relates to energy projects,” Melloh said. “We needed an expert, and Sponsel provided us with the expertise we were looking for.”